Hurricane Maria has knocked out power across the island of Puerto Rico, which is home to 3,5 million people. The US National Hurricane Center has said that the catastrophic flooding was sweeping parts of the island. Pictures has emerged that show the widespread destruction that was caused on the small island of Dominica. Maria, is now lashing the Dominican Republic further west and it is reported to be heading towards the Caicos and Turks Island. This is the second devastating storm that has hit this hurricane season, the first one was category five Irma which took place earlier in September.
The Governor of Puerto Rico Ricardo Rossello said that one fatality has been reported so far on the island, where a man was struck by flying debris. “None of the customers of Puerto Rico’s Electric Power Authority has any electricity,” said Abner Gomez, head of the disaster management agency.
People who emerged from their homes in San Juan after the storm found the streets filled with shredded trees, fallen power lines and debris. Governor Rossello had asked President Donald Trump to declare the island a disaster area as the storm had unleashed heavy flooding and life-threatening winds.
The president of the United States is yet to do so, but has availed federal emergency aid for the island.
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